Forever Protected, Forever Loved
by Lady Salmalin-Holmes-Darcy
Summary: Dark Celebration left us with Dimitri and Skyler. A girl with a shattered spirit and a Carpathain male with more holes in his soul than Swiss Cheese. What happens when Sklyer has an idea that could save them both. Please read author's note first!
1. Can I Ask A Question?

Disclaimer: If I owned these characters, I would be writing their books, not these fan fictions while waiting for Dimitri (who is one of the ultimate Carpathian Sex Objects) and Skyler's book, now would I?

"Gabriel, Lucian? Would you mind if I asked you a question?" asked a young voice from the doorway.

"Yes, Skyler?" returned Gabriel, both turning their immediate attention towards her. Lucian nodded and she walked forward into the room.

She sat down in her favorite armchair and leaned forward, facing her father and his twin. It was the day after the big Christmas celebration and the brothers were discussing many things: the safety of their women, children, prince and most of all their little brother in tights, pulling off the enchanting stunt that he had with his lifemate.r

"I talked to Francesca a little bit about it, and I was wondering…about my lifemate and all…if, well…" Lucian and Gabriel looked at each other with the same eyebrow-arched look.

"If?" Gabriel pressed, not reading her mind purposely. They tried not to pry into her mind unless they had to, preferring to give her the privacy a human girl desired. But what truly disturbed him was that she had discussed this with Francesca and his lifemate had not told him.

_She asked me not to tell, my love. She wanted to tell you and seek your approval and opinion as her father and as a male who knows what its like to face darkness; to be alone for all those years. _Whispered Francesca's voice in his mind, a voice that often kept him in control of all he surrounded, including himself.

He looked at his daughter as she fumbled for words and ran her hands through her dirty-blonde and red shot hair. "I want to talk to Dimitri." She stated. She kept her face looking at the polished wood floors, not wanting to see either of their surprised looking faces. Gabriel cleared his throat. "I thought that you didn't want a lifemate, Skyler. Was my hearing incorrect?"

She shook her head back and forth. "No, you're right, I don't want a lifemate. But I do want to help him, and help me, too. I can feel him and his despair every moment that I'm awake. He tries to stop it, but he can't. He can't stop his emotions from getting to me. I want to stop it. I don't want a over-commanding Carpathian male to suddenly take over my life. But, maybe, I could talk to him. Make him feel better about me. He's taken my blood; I know our mind-connection thingy is there. Maybe getting to know him…he'll stop being so lonely and feeling so guilty, and I'll stop being so scared."

Lucian sighed. His niece looked so small, so fragile, with that little frown on her face and that worried pleading note in her voice. She was scared of men, of what they had done to her. She was far too old for her own good, and what she needed was a childhood. Since there was no going back to that, the only other thing would be to let Dimitri give her back her life. But would it make him worse, was the question. If he heard her voice, but couldn't have her, would it be a welcoming for murder or a small comfort to a man so close to darkness? He knew his twin graced his mind, scanning his worries, which mirrored his own.

"It's a good idea Skyler. But our concern is for both of you. If he hears your voice, what will he do to get you? Would that put him further on the edge or save him? We don't know we can't know. It could put you in danger again! If a vampire reads his mind and finds you…" Gabriel was trying to fight it, but he knew it was to no avail. He could deny his daughter nothing; he loved her far too much. This was a good idea anyway, so there really was no use in fighting.

Skyler took an intake of breath and looked her father in the eye. "Don't you break off connection to Francesca when you're fighting a vampire? Dimitri would never put me in danger. I know he wouldn't. I want to know him better. I know I can't be everything he deserves after waiting so long for a real woman who can heal him, but I can try!" She practically yelled. She was ready to cry she was so frustrated. At him, at her real father, at her very real heritage, even at Dimitri, her anger practically flowed off of her, which brought Jaxon and Francesca into the room.

"Why can't she just try? Breaking off your connection to your lifemate is very hard; you of all people know that. They can't be together for a few more years yet, so where's the harm. Let her talk to him, let both of them learn." demanded Jaxon standing in front of the twin brothers with her hands on her hips and a pout on her face. Francesca stood next to her daughter.

You shouldn't stand like that, my love. You look very appetizing and I would hate to have to eat you in front of my brother and his lifemate.

_Than agree with me, Lucian and I won't have to stand like this. _ Jaxon was teasing him. Even without her blackmailing him, he knew the idea was a good one. He turned to Gabriel and nodded his consent.

Gabriel sighed. "I guess I am outnumbered. My only concerns are that we do not torment Dimitri and you come to no harm, Skyler. I am not sure if this idea would be a blessing or a curse." Skyler called for him quietly, not wanting to disturb him from whatever he was doing.

You are more important than any thing I can be doing right now. What is it, lyubof maya? My father and uncle wish to speak to you about an idea I've had. I think it is good, but we aren't sure if it would be fair to you. She could almost physically feel him nodding, absentmindedly petting his head wolf. She suddenly wished he was petting her hair and just as suddenly pushed it away. But not before he had heard it; and smiled. She could not ignore her needs as a lifemate for very long. I will be there in a few minutes. Is that all right? 

Of course it is. Thank you, Dimitri.

She spoke formally, almost reserved. She was so scared of him and she didn't know why. She didn't want him to yell at her, like so many had, but she knew somehow he never would. She felt his needs, felt his emotions, knew that his every want was to protect her, but was protecting her going to hurt her? She was so confused, so terribly lost. She only wanted to understand and no matter how hard anybody tried she wasn't learning anything, but to ignore what instincts she had learned about men as a child.

"You will understand, my little Skyler." Dimitri's voice announced behind her. He put his hand gently on her shoulder and she flinched. He could only hope that she could learn to love him, and he could teach her how to trust him.

"Do you need me to remove my hand?" He asked, his mouth dangerously lingering near her ear. Her heart skipped a few beats, even though she sternly told it not to. He took her silence for a yes and started to remove it. He had just wanted to touch her again. That soft satiny skin, with its beautiful color and lightly colored nails; his little miracle. She gave him color, light, and promise…if only she would accept him. Well, maybe she was accepting him. He turned his eyes to look at those staring at him. Only in Jaxon's eyes did he find acceptance. In Francesca's eyes he found apprehension. In Gabriel and Lucian's he found clearly read warning. He didn't want to see Skyler's. He didn't want to read the rejection he knew was somewhere inside of them.

"What did you want to speak to me about, Skyler?" Dimitri's voice said from behind her, making her turn to face him. He was talking to her like she was the only one in the room. "Can I talk to you?" She blurted out very fast. He immediately sensed her nervousness, and wondered how he hadn't noticed it before. He raised a slight eyebrow and tried to ease her into conversation. "Aren't you already talking to me?"

She laughed slightly, but felt more than a little pressure. She looked over her shoulder at Francesca sitting next to Gabriel. Instant calm washed over her and she welcomed it. "I want to get to know you better. I want to speak to you even after we leave here. Maybe being a lifemate isn't as bad as it seems; I want to help you. I don't want you to feel like this anymore. And it's only been a day."

She looked him right in the eye as she said it. Those beautiful blue eyes. Much as she didn't want him, hated the idea of him controlling her, she couldn't help it. She noticed him and he made her feel helplessly feminine. He wasn't trying to, he just did.

"What about what we discussed before? I thought you did not want me." He made it a statement. All he wanted to do was claim her and fix her broken spirit and hope that she would fix his soul in return. She looked down, dirty blonde and red hair fell over her face, shadowing it so he could only see the angular outlines.

"Maybe, I was wrong. I was thinking about it last night, and I realized that while my thoughts were about helping you, I was the one hurting you. And I couldn't live with that. I can't live like you want me to either, but we could learn. But Gabriel doesn't know if talking to me and not being able to control me would be a problem." She grabbed the Wolf pendent as a talisman, much to his pleasure, which he still couldn't believe he felt. That was the first wolf ornament he had ever made, and to have her treasure it made his heart turn over.

"Hearing your beautiful voice in my thoughts would be much preferred over not talking to you until you are ready for my claim, not my control, young one. We may be controlling and dominant as males should be, but it is a claim, not a sign of pure control. You are not my puppet, nor will you be. I understand much more than everyone here seems to think I do. I understand the need to give you time and space. I understand that you are young and your spirit was shattered. I also understand that you need help in picking up those fallen pieces, and maybe, even though I know your father is practically growling at me, I could be the one to help you pick it back up. I also agree with your father in that I do not deserve you. My soul is a piece of extra-punctuated Swiss cheese with more darkness in it than the night we belong to, but maybe you can save me." He finished quietly and calmly. He was spilling out his soul for everyone to see, and he didn't care. His body was tight with unfulfilled need; the need to kiss her, protect her forever. He resisted the beast as it roared to take her, make her his forever.

She lifted her face up to look into his eyes. She loved doing it. It made her feel brave, confident. Something she didn't feel often, even though she acted like it. Something in those icy cold eyes warmed her every part of her like nothing else could. He stared right back. He leaned down and kissed her, daring all for one moment in time. Skyler melted against him, knowing it was wrong, but not having enough of a will to stop it.

All to quickly it was over and Gabriel was on his feet and growling. Dimitri raised Skyler's hand to his lips and bowed. He disappeared into mist and Skyler heard Thank you, lyubof maya. We'll save each other yet. Call me when you wish to speak to me. Upon hearing his words and looking at those she considered her familiy, she realized they had firmly set a wall between her and Dimitri's emotions. They had realized she couldn't think clearly while his needs, which scared her so much, were imposing on her mind. Now, she could feel a little less guilty, and maybe a little more whole.

A/N: Thanks for reading the first chapter! Please R&R I love hearing form people who have read my fanfic, whether you liked it or not, critisim is always welcomed. I know I went a little O.C with the characters, but…I try. Thanks for reading, hope to update soon

Lil'Lady


	2. The Lone Wolf Howls

Ch 2

"You mean it? We get to fly all the way home?" Gabriel smiled at the eagerness of his adopted daughter. "Well, there's no safer way to get home. What with vampires trying to get to you and your lifemate watching your every move, we have no choice."

Skyler laughed lightly. "My lifemate is not watching us." she said, even though she knew she was wrong. He watched her every step and the only reason he wasn't sending his most trusted wolf with them was because he trusted Gabriel and Gabriel would never tolerate a wolf he did not control.

"I beg to differ." He told her and pointed to the woods. A pair of icy blue eyes watched them from the shadows. "Those aren't Dimitri's eyes." Stated Skyler. She knew his eyes. Those were the eyes of one of his wolves.

"I know they aren't. You and I both know when Dimitri is around. Look, Skyler, I'm sorry this had to happen, but it's not the worse thing that could happen." Skyler looked at him with raised eyebrows. He sighed. "That was not what I meant." She smiled at her father.

"I know what you meant. Its ok, I guess. I'm a lot older, in spirit, than people might think. I actually feel safer, a little bit anyway, knowing that he's watching out for me, for my future, even though the futures a scary thought." Skyler stated. Francesca came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, showing her silent support of what ever Skyler chose to do. Her other arm held a sleeping Baby Tamara all ready to leave.

"I willed our belongings back home; it's time to say our goodbyes." Gabriel looked up at her, meeting Francesca's eyes with his. It was his attempt at changing the subject. Skyler looked up at them and smiled sadly, wanting to continue explaining more because she had to hear it herself than explain it to Gabriel and Francesca.

"It's because of you guys and every couple I've met here on this Christmas trip that I decided to give him a chance, you know. You all seem so happy and he just seems so sad; so hopeless. I couldn't leave and be responsible for him feeling his own despair, maybe if I try, he will too." She looked down at her shoes. "Even if he is really scary, I know he wouldn't hurt me…" she said it in a smaller voice than her usual soft one. She knew they still heard her.

Francesca deemed it a good idea to let the conversation drop at this point and suggest that Gabriel announce their departure on the common mental path. It was one of the only ways of telling everyone at once. Antoinetta and Byron had left yesterday with insistence that Skyler come visit the palazzo anytime she would like. Byron had whispered in her ear that he would much appreciate a break from Josef's continual visits.

It was a few minutes before Mikhail and Savannah materialized in front of them. Gabriel raised his eyebrows slightly. He hadn't expected them to come and say goodbye.

"It is not just to say goodbye, Gabriel. I have something to say to you and your lifemate and Savannah wishes to speak to your daughter." Gabriel nodded. He knew the prince was not happy with his decision to allow Dimitri to communicate with Skyler. As he saw it, Dimitri was willing to learn to accept all of Skyler's limitations in exchange for her trust and his soul it was little to allow him to try. Gabriel would just have to defend her wishes.

Mikhail led Gabriel and Francesca away from where Savannah and Skyler stood. Skyler looked up at Savannah with curious eyes. She had never seen the woman except for last nights Christmas illusion, even though she had heard a lot about her. She sensed an overwhelming feeling of affection and sympathy coming off her in simple waves and Skyler herself was nothing but curious and apprehensive. It was a while of just looking at each other and at the things surrounding them in the beautiful landscape before Savannah spoke.

"You're a very brave young woman you know. I wasn't nearly this brave when Gregori came to me."

Skyler looked up at the solemn faced Carpathian woman. What did she mean she hadn't been brave? Just to be near someone as scary as Gregori is you had to be amazingly brave. Savannah laughed as she caught the thought.

"I was only a little older than you at the time. Gregori wanted me. He needed me to save him. Save his soul, which, from what he thought, was barley there at all. I didn't want to. I couldn't save him, didn't know how I ever could. He was so impressive so freighting. Mom, I mean Raven, had told me a little bit about what might happen, but never really used the words that he had. Duty, position…a lot of things he said then…but when he saw how scared I was he gave me a chance to grow up and give him a chance. I said a lot of the things you had. You're wrong, it's impossible; it's not fair, I don't want you. But the reason I say you're so much braver than I was is that you saw all this. You felt his sorrow when I had no heart for my lifemates centuries of despair. You are willing to give him a chance when the day before you were so uncertain. You're willing to take that chance and I think that is one of the most amazing things you could do."

Skyler oh-ed slightly raising her hands to her mouth in surprise. She said the only words she really could at the moment. "Really?" Savannah nodded at this. "He had to disguise himself as my pet wolf to follow me around, you know." Skyler raised her eyebrow at the woman and then proceeded to giggle like a little girl. "It was quite a blow to his pride you know, and still is…"continued Savannah, now smiling. Seeing Skyler happy was a very contagious thing.

"I wish I could be as brave as you just described me, but I'm not. I just can't bear to see someone suffer."

_And I am very grateful. _Said that slightly accented voice in her mind. She jumped slightly. Savannah's eyes held concern and Skyler felt her worry. She looked up at the woman. "Its nothing. Just something I have to get used to." Savannah started to say something and then understood and "oohhed" "You'll get used to it, I promise. Why don't we go see what my father is saying to your parents? Nothing to complimentary, I'm sure." She said with the ever-obvious note of sarcasm. Skyler nodded and followed Savanna, turning over what she had just said in her mind.

"Wait." She called to the Prince's daughter. Savannah turned. "What's the matter, Skyler? Is something wrong?" she asked, turning around to see her. "No, nothing's wrong, it's just…thank you. For what you said to me. It means a lot that someone besides Dimitri thinks this is a good idea." Savannah smiled warmly and waited for the girl to catch up.

"How could you possibly think it was a good idea? Letting her talk to him? It's not like you can watch what he's saying to her, you can't hear him! God knows what he could be saying to her, I thought she was emotionally fragile? Mikhail exclaimed. "And has an extreme knack for danger." He added as an afterthought.

"Mikhail. You may be our prince, but you are not her father." Gabriel said calmly. "Neither are you." Said Mikhail. Gabriel looked as if he had been punched in the stomach. Almost like a wounded puppy looks; sad but ready to strike back quickly and painfully.

"I do not think that you should have said that." Said a quietly accented voice from the shadows. "I believe Gabriel is my lifemate's father. I believe that she does too and I think that's what matters. If you were to have seen some of the things she has been through…You would understand that a father does not mean where she comes from, but who treats her as she should be treated." Dimitri's voice got steadily lower. He had never thought badly of his prince till now, but that was just too low of a blow for even the lowest of vampires to hit.

"What's going on?" asked a quiet voice from the shadows. "Skyler? I thought you were talking to Savannah?" asked Mikhail, regaining his composure and calm facial features. "I'm right here, dad." Said Savannah from behind Skyler. "I said everything that I wanted to say so we came to find you guys." Savannah explained logically, looking at her father as if he'd lost his mind. "Were we not supposed to?" inquired Skyler. "Of, course, it's just…" he trailed off, at a loss for words, something Prince Mikhail never was, except around Raven.

Savannah gave her shoulder a squeeze, knowing that she hated hugs. She had a right too, no one should have to deal with someone else's complete emotions.

"Goodbye, Skyler. It's been nice meeting you. I'm planning on doing another tour soon, so I'll be sure to come see you guys when I perform near there, alright?"

Skyler nodded readily, wanting to see this woman's real performances especially after last night's show. "Goodbye, Savannah. See you soon." Skyler said politely, waving slightly.

She watched as Savannah lead her father away from them. She didn't want to turn around. She didn't want to see the glare that her father was giving Prince Mikhail, didn't want to see the worry etched across Francesca's face, but most of all she didn't want to see the way Dimitri looked at her. It was bad enough that she felt the anger and worry coming from her parents and the 22 million other confused emotions coming from Dimitri; she didn't want to see it etched on their faces.

But she turned around anyway.

"Guys, can you give me a second alone with Dimitri?" Francesca nodded, understanding and turned to walk back towards the house, wondering how Tammy had stayed asleep through all that had just transpired. Gabriel looked from Skyler to Dimitri and back to Skyler again. "I am going to say goodbye, not seduce her, Gabriel." Dimitri reassured him, with a little humor in his voice. Skyler could feel a little of his happiness, something he hadn't felt in a very, very long time.

Gabriel almost growled and then followed his lifemate back to the house. Dimitri turned to face her. "Are you sorry you agreed to give me a chance?" She laughed a little bit, she kept doing that when he was around, and whenever he smiled she did. She looked up into his crystal blue eyes and her stomach did a little flip that it wasn't supposed to.

"Not yet. Please don't make me sorry, though." She said, almost to the point of flirting. Something she had never really been aware of doing before. "Thank you, my little one. We'll work this out eventually, I promise." He said, moving his hand slowly upwards to toy with a piece of her hair. He made his intentions quite obvious, so she had time to stop him, but she didn't. She only looked at his face, as if she was trying to memorize it, which secretly she was.

"You are the prettiest thing that I have ever seen. I am so grateful that I can still talk to you still learn about you, even though we may be miles apart." He leaned down to kiss her forehead and she closed her eyes slightly. Even though she felt like she was supposed to hate this, she smiled slightly. She knew the memories coming to her head were just memories, but…

"No, you are right. They are memories and they cannot hurt you. My agony from before was from these emotions and from looking in to your past. Those men did horrible things to you, darling, but they will never touch you ever again. Only I and your family will, and that is only when you allow us too." He spoke softly into her hair. She laughed slightly. "When I met you a few days ago, I never would ever have imagined you to be this sweet."

"I'm finding that I'm a surprising person…" he mused and she laughed lightly. In that moment she decided to break and emotional boundary and wrapped both arms around his middle. She instantly felt this rush of affection, pride, happiness, and most of all protectiveness. The emotions were starting to overwhelm her, but she ignored them, as much as was possible. He felt too good to hold on to too let go of, like a favorite teddy bear or, Skyler thought, every comfort ever wrapped up in her wolf stuffed animal. At hearing the tail end of this thought Dimitri pulled away from her slightly.

"You have one of my wolves?" He asked innocently. Her eyes looked up into his, her hands still innocently on either side of his waist. Dimitri kept his voice strictly neutral, maybe even a little amused. His mind he kept almost carefully blank and controlled. The last thing she needed was to know what those dainty; glass-making hands on his waist did to his self control…

Skyler nodded, oblivious to anything he may have thought. She hadn't reached that far yet, and he wasn't going to push her until he could. "I love that wolf. It's like a little kid with his favorite blanket. It makes me feel comforted and protected, even though it's just a stuffed animal and I know I'm being silly, but I can't help it."

Dimitri shook his head. "You are not being silly." He took her hands from his sides and held them in his own. They looked so small, so pale compared to his large tanned ones. He looked straight into her emerald green eyes. "Those wolves and anything else I made were made with the idea that I could raise money for my wolves and their homes and maybe my lifemate will find one and then find me. Then I thought of putting my hopes of finding you, my dreams of you, and comfort for when something was wrong, and security because I wasn't there to protect you. Only you would feel these things, my little lifemate, it was a stark hope. Stupidity, I realized later. My lifemate couldn't find me because I put comfort into a stuffed animal, but then again here you are, telling me that that wolf is your best friend."

It was then she realized how much she meant to this lonely man, this lone wolf himself. The emotions were threatening to eat her heart whole and she couldn't stop it. When he knew more about her, would he love her less, more or at all? The thought worried her and startled out of her happy calm.

"You are right in believing, that I love you now based on two reasons. One, you are the other half of my soul and the pure rejoice of saving me. The second reason is love and a fear of rejection. It may be impossible, but it could be completely probable." His hands tightened on hers before he realized what he was doing and she was far to concerned with what he was saying than his grip on her hands.

"What do you mean?" The words confused her and Dimitri knew he'd frightened her and felt horrible about it. "I mean I'm terrified that the minute you take the time to learn about me and you learn how dark my soul really is, you'll run from me like you were planning on. You changed your mind, but it doesn't mean that you can't change it again." His voice was anguished and Skyler saw the stark signs of tears in his eyes. She gasped softly and knew she could never leave this man, even if it was what she pretended she wanted. A shaky hand reached up and wiped the tears away from those amazing eyes.

"If you're willing to accept me, I'm willing to accept you." She whispered and did something so that was so unlike herself she would have laughed at the idea if it had been suggested earlier in the week. She went up on tiptoe and kissed him. She poured all her feelings into that kiss and surprised Dimitri, who wasn't complaining, but surprised herself even more.

As soon as the kiss had begun it was ended and Skyler's cheeks had turned bright red, "I-I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean, I-"she was silenced by his finger on her lips.

"I believe that was the goodbye we were meant to have." He whispered as if telling a secret. For once the world and its worries fell away and he took her hand, walking her back to where her parents and baby sister stood, her father looking as if he was going to have an apoplexy.

"Where did you go, you were gone forever! I only left you alone for a moment! Something could have happened!" Gabriel was obviously overreacting, but everyone humored him for the sake of humor.

Dimitri completely ignored him.

"I return her to your keeping, take good care of her. I need my light." While saying this with obvious challenge in his voice he bent down and kissed her on the top of the head.

"I love you." He whispered into her hair and disappeared into the mist. The last thing she saw of him were those amazing eyes of his. She closed her eyes and for a brief second she heard that lone wolf howl that didn't sound so lonely anymore. Or maybe she had just imagined the whole thing…

Thank you everyone for those wonderful reviews!! I'm soooo sorry to take so long, but school work attacks even throughout the summer.(For those who live in New York will agree, AP Euro sux XP) Anyone who reviews can have an imaginary kiss from Emo Mikhail, Adorable Confused Father Gabriel, or Sex God #2 Dimitri!! (But please be nice and share with fellow reviewers. Anyone who tries anything with Sex God #2 answers to moi….) And thank you, Nevaeh for that interesting piece of information. cries in a corner out of lament for the book I personally think Skyler and Dimitri are FAR more interesting than Spanish Commando Boy. (No offence to those who like him, but he will not one of the ones who give review kisses in this story, purely out of jealousy for an earlier publication date.)

Live, Love, Review!!!

Lil' Lady


	3. Once Upon a Time

Ch3

_Keep his light safe! How dare he! _Gabriel practically screamed his outrage in Francesca's mind. _I am twice the hunter that he is and in addition I am his lifemate's father! And Mikhail! I am much older than both of them, the protector of their fathers! Who's next? Is my own brother planning on stabbing me? _

Poor Gabriel was outraged and shocked. Within the same day he had been yelled at for his decisions as a father by a father who, in his opinion, shouldn't be talking, and then almost commanded by his daughter's lifemate. There were many things he could do to make that man's life a misery. He had been understanding about it, having allowed the communication plan to work, because he had no wish to see his poor daughter in pain. But for all it was worth Dimitri shouldn't have said that. Her protection had been in his care since they had found her and he was truly sorry that they hadn't before. Take care of her! As if that wasn't one of his main priorities.

He heard giggles behind him as he paced his study. He turned around abruptly and faked a scowl. His lifemate was standing in the doorway, laughing at him if he wasn't mistaken.

"Are you laughing at me?" he asked, starting to grin with her. Her beautiful laughter was contagious and he found it hard not to burst out laughing with her, without knowing the reason she was laughing. "Yes," she said in between fits of laughter, "I am. Lucian was right. You are turning into a fussy old man." With that said, she burst out laughing harder than before, solely at his face.

He grinned slightly at the sight of her doubled over in laughter. There were uses he could make of that position. Moving so quickly she couldn't really see him, not that she had been looking with her eyes closed, he had come up behind her and picked her up, throwing her light body effortlessly onto his right shoulder and striding across the room to the leather couch at its other end.

"Let me go! Let me go, you barbarian I have for a husband!" She strained these words through fits of giggling, kicking and punching him playfully. Getting to the couch, he dropped her on to it and smiled over her wickedly.

"I may have put you down, but I am far from finished with you." Gabriel said in a low voice, eyes gazing covertly over her body all sprawled out over the couch.

He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and she closed her eyes in sweet surrender. He kissed every spot on her face and when he ran out of face to kiss he started to will open every button as he kissed a straight line down her chest and stomach, stopping at the button of her jeans. Gabriel's hands rested on either side of her hips and pressed his lips to her bellybutton, and his eyes stared up at the calm, closed-eyed, happy face of his lifemate.

Her eyes opened and she looked down at him. "Why the hell did you stop?" she demanded. Then she realized there was a black and red nailed hand turning the doorknob. She felt Gabriel grin against her stomach. She tried to move before Skyler walked in but Gabriel's hands kept her in place. _I hate you_ echoed in Gabriel's head, the words themselves, sheer laughter. They both looked up as Skyler walked in the door and blanched.

"Oh my God, guys… I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I was getting Tammy a story book and ya, I'll-" she broke off her rambled excuses, rushed over to the bookshelf in back of Gabriel's desk, grabbed a old looking book of tales and left the room, closing the door behind her. By the time she left, her cheeks had turned a bright pink and her eyes were avidly watching the floor. She heard Gabriel's soft laughter as she started to walk away and upstairs to Tammy's room.

Skyler sat back against the headboard of her bed with her wolf in her lap. Tammy was asleep and she wasn't chancing going back downstairs. She looked around the bookshelf next to her for something to read and her eyes spotted one of her favorite romances, Scent of Roses, so she leaned over and grabbed it. Her fingers flipped through the book with familiarity, her eyes stopped her fingers at a favorite scene. The images played out in her head with imagined characters, similar to the book's descriptions, but two people she knew well soon replaced them of her minds own accord. Before she knew it she was imagining Dimitri kissing every part of her body reverently and she was enjoying it quite thoroughly. Skyler's eyes closed as the dream got more interesting.

_You have a very_ _fascinating mind, darling. I thought you didn't want me? _

At hearing his voice Skyler jumped three feet, not realizing it was him for a few seconds. Then she got angry. He had been spying on her! He had no right to do that!

_Actually, I do. You gave it to me. But I find it endearing that my lifemate reads human stories about sex. But that's alright. If those books put those nice little fantasies in your mind I am actually in their debt. As long as no one but me is in them, that is. _

Skyler laughed lightly.

_Well, what if it is? What if I want some dashing cowboy to come and chase me away?_

Dimitri laughed aloud at this comment, but whether at the comment itself or the absurdity of its reality, he really wasn't sure.

_I'll dress up as a cowboy for you if you really want me to because any real cowboy who wants you will never ride a horse ever again. _

Skyler considered that for a moment and took into consideration both of the meanings behind that statement. Before she could ask he answered her.

_Yes, darling, that threat was intend to mean that it would hurt the cowboy to ride a horse. Your dirty mind is, at least, directed in the right place._

At this Skyler turned bright red. She did not have a dirty mind! She did not! How could he think that! It was just and excuse, an escape…

_Sweetheart, I am just joking. You have the most beautiful mind imaginable. However, why don't I tell you a story instead? A nice, clean story about when I was younger with a cute, younger happy me involved? I'll give you a cute mental slideshow!_

Skyler accepted, never realizing he could be this sweet, this kind, this…

_Amazing?_

Annoying.

She smiled, knowing he was loving every minute of this, wanting to treasure every second he had with her because he all believed it a dream. She didn't know how she knew she just did, but just the same, she smiled, lied back against her pillow and hugged her wolf tighter, willing to believe, just once, that she had been wrong.

_Tell me a story, Dimitri?_ _Start with once upon a time. You have to. You are that old, after all… _

He ignored the comment, not wanting to ruin the moment and continued.

_Once upon a time…_

Thank you!!!!!!! I love you all. The reviews have been amazing (I don't think I've even gotten as many in my life and it makes me feel all happy and warm inside!! XD)

Thanks also for all who wished for the good luck in my school work, I'm gonna need it! Lol!

This was a cozy little chapter, but don't worry, fear and fright and maybe a little awkwardness is soon to come to light I swear! The next one will be much longer (promise!) and I'll try to get it to you A.S.A.P!!!

Everyone gets a review kiss from the Carpathian of choice, excepting Manolito out of sheer jealously, though if anyone has read the book, is there any Skyler/Dimitri news??

Luck, Love, and Thank you kisses,

Lil' Lady


	4. Scared and Unsure

Ch3

_Skyler, Skyler, you have to wake up. Please wake up… _

Skyler woke up instantly at the pressured command that he gave for her to wake up. Her eyes snapped open and her breath quickened at the thought that something might be wrong.

_What is it, Dimitri? Am I in trouble again?_

_I felt you start to bleed from a rather uncommon place and I tried to heal you but your body was worse off when I did._

Skyler sat up, dumbfounded and confused.

_Wait, you can heal people and you can read minds, but you freak out when I get my period? Because, if you have forgotten, I am still human…And it's natural. You are way to over protective. _

There was a moment of silence from Dimitri.

_What do you mean natural?_

Skyler sighed as Francesca walked into the room, laughing.

"Your lifemate seemed to demand the urgency of saving your life from something that needs to happen if he wants a child."

"Mom!" Skyler turned bright red. "It isn't funny!"

Francesca almost snorted. "You're right. It isn't funny. It's absolutely hysterical." As she said this, Skyler seemed to get the mental image of Dimitri pouting, which appeared to be impossible, to her anyway.

_You are so not pouting. _

_You are right, I am not. I'm scowling at my own stupidity. But you are cute when you are embarrassed. _

Francesca was still laughing when Skyler turned bright red. She stuck her tongue out at her and Francesca walked out of her room.

_Get out of my head. _

_No_

_Now, Dimitri. I have to go take care of this. Go take care of your wolves; I'm sure they miss you._

Her tone was laced with heavy sarcasm and she broke off the mental link between them. She leapt off her bed and walked over to her closet, throwing open her door in sudden anger. What right did he have to do that? She was fine but she did feel horribly violated. He had examined the most private part of her body without her consent, without telling her parents, without telling her. What had she done? Had she allowed this? Was this what her trust had done? Someone other than her parents showed care and concern for her, she accepts it, tries to comprehend the fact that she could be the reason that a Carpathian man doesn't turn vampire and hurt other women like she had been hurt as a child, and he doesn't even wake her up, ask her to give her consent for him to examine that part of her body. Francesca may laugh, but she only felt angry.

Skyler went into the bathroom and stepped into the shower. She made it icy cold and let the freezing water embrace her. She tried to calm down, let her emotions slide out of her and leave her empty inside. The cold was only outside, but it was what she really felt like inside

_He loves you. He was trying to help, to take care of you. You know he meant nothing by it, you know he thinks nothing of looking down there if it means saving you. But you have to set limits to where this is going to go. How it's going to work... _

Those were the words shimmering in her mind as she stepped out of the shower. She felt Francesca's mental presence in her mind, trying to calm her. She stepped in front of her mirror and looked at herself.

Her fingers traced the scars going up and down her body. Her left hand found one of the longer ones that traced from her hip to the middle of her thigh. Her right hand found one of the more jagged ones lining her collarbone. She wasn't a normal girl, could never be a normal woman and that's what he deserved. He had only tried to help her and she had yelled at him. He had thought she was in trouble and had acted immediately as was his nature.

_I think you are the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen. Scars both mental and physical mean nothing to me. You are perfect to me. It is enough that you try to learn to accept and love me for who I am. A lonely overbearing Carpathian male who had absolutely no right to do what I did. I am just as bad as those who have injured you before, no exceptions. _

Tears came to her eyes at his words. How could he ever come close to thinking that he was as bad as her real father and those that had hurt her? How could anyone really think she was perfect when she couldn't even be around people? But it was enough. She could never stay mad at him, even if she tried. When she had looked into those lonely eyes at their goodbye she knew she could never ever leave him. At their mind merge now, she felt his pain at her anger and was instantly sorry. Isn't that why she had suggested this? So he wouldn't be hurt? She was just so confused. She felt his calm overwhelm her and his try for peace to wash over her, but she had to calm down herself.

_Let me think for a little while alright? I'll be safe, I just have to sort things out understand really what's going on_.

_I understand. There is no one near the park you are talking about, I have already scanned it. You will be safe I promise._

She smiled to herself and got dressed. She had done something right in letting them talk. They were going to get through this she knew it.

A/N: Hi Everyone!! It's Me!!! and yes I am well aware that I went MIA and everyone had a price on my head for disappearing without an update. The reason you have this and the next chapter for that matter is Gabriels-girl5035!! (At least I'm pretty sure that's how you spell her username…) She haunted me and begged me for another chapter and I realized that I had abandoned all of you, and I owed you this chapter and the next one. So I dedicate this chapter to her and I will try to get writing again!!!! Live, Love, Review!!!!!

LiL' Lady


	5. The Vampire and A Puppy

Ch4 

Skyler sat down on the little swing in the park a few blocks from her house. It was a few hours after Twilight and no one was around to disturb her. Her legs gave her the momentum to move back and forth but she didn't leave the ground. She was just so confused.

She was only 16. She hated people, especially scary men who seem to think their self important and completely dominant. She needed a say in things, needed him to realize what it would take for them to be lifemates, and half of her barley even believed that.

But, then, Skyler thought to herself, she hadn't been very fair either. She'd admonished him like a little puppy that had chewed up a sock and had been the cause of his pain. "I am just as bad as those who have hurt you before," he'd said. She had felt so bad at those words. He loved her for saving him, even though he didn't know her. According to Francesca lifemates learned about one another from each others memories, but Skyler preferred the human way. A date, some laughs, and a good ol' game of twenty questions.

She laughed out loud at her thoughts. Maybe they had time to play that game of twenty questions and a lot more, but right now she was going to calm herself down and number her priorities without Dimitri's commentary on her thoughts. She stood up to leave, the swing going back and forth with her motion. That's when she felt the sudden fear in the air. It became a sharp pang in her stomach and she called out to Dimitri as if it was a reflex.

_Be calm, small one. It is just a puppy, but she is tired and hurt and scared. I think she knows you will help her. _

And when she squinted at the darkness she knew she had overreacted because a small form came at running toward her as fast as she could. Her head tilted sideways at the small brown basset hound more limp-waddled than trotted to sit in front of her, wagging her tail and looking up at her with huge brown eyes. She smiled at her and realized that she had come to her because of her powers. There was a patch of dried blood on her fur and her back leg looked almost broken. He started to whimper again and that's when she grasped the idea that Dimitri had been helping him go to her, the dog had not come on its own.

_She was under vampire control, but I couldn't let her suffer. You gave me a heart, little Miss Dorothy. _

It took Skyler a moment to realize the Dimitri had made a joke. She shook her head, she was freighting herself. He had been in her memories, doing just what she didn't want him to do, but somehow this, unlike the other things, endeared him to her instead of making her angry. She focused on the dog who she suddenly decided to name Annaberry.

"You're just as lost as I am, huh?" she asked her. Animal emotions were no where near as powerful as human emotions to her, so she just decided, since the dog couldn't walk, she'd carry her home. Annaberry was only a little puppy, not even as big as Skyler's arm.

_I think I like her more than you. _Skyler teased Dimitri. She could almost feel him shaking his head at her in silent laughter and pressing a phantom kiss against her hair. A warm feeling exploded in her stomach, like little tiny butterflies escaping a cage long kept locked.

Careful of her back leg, Skyler picked Annaberry up and started to walk back home, mentally telling her mother the assessment of Annaberry's injuries and asking if her mother could heal a dog. Francesca answered that she didn't know because she had never tried. But she quickly told Skyler she would try for Annaberry. Walking home completely confident in her ability to take care of her new puppy she realized from sensing the fear radiating from Annaberry that the vampire that had had her was not giving up something that he had claimed as his without a fight. She began to run as Dimitri's voice came into her mind.

_I saved the puppy after I trapped him in his lair. Gabriel will provide you with sufficient safety while I use my powers from afar. You and Annaberry will be safe. _

Surprisingly unbeknownst to Skyler, Dimitri had the world's biggest guilt trip for not being there personally to protect her and her newfound friend. He had made a magically shield around her but he knew that if the vamp struck her, she could not defend herself properly.

_If you lead me I could try, I know that you can execute magic through another person's power. Aunt Jaxx told me so. I think I have power, somewhere, I just can't reach it. _Just by those words Skyler made her lifemate's heart ache in sheer admiration, like it did too often around her. And this was a battle; he could not afford to think cute, appealing thoughts about his lifemate.

_I just hope Jaxon also told you that the experience is a terrifying one, especially for you. I would do anything but put you in that situation. Keep running!_

Before she had time to realize she was listening to his commands, she was running as fast as she could and the mark on her side was burning; the same funny tingling feeling that was, as she had been told, the Dragonseeker legend.

She headed down the small hills that lead to her house and she felt someone try to probe her mind. Instantly she screamed and every shield that she had flew into place, which, before she realized, left her more than completely physically venerable. It was at this point that she knew, before anything else, that she trusted Dimitri with her life. She had to. And in her mind she knew he had heard her and reveled in it. Stupid man-ego.

"Going somewhere, missy?" Skyler gasped at the voice and looked up, more terrified than she wanted to admit. She was looking into the face of her father, the face that haunted her every nightmare. Every pore of her body wanted to scream Dimitri! Gabriel! Francesca! Her rocks, her anchors to sanity, but instead all she felt was her courage failing her as his hand went towards her chest. He would not touch her again; she would not let him touch her again. _He will never touch you lyubof maya. I failed as a lifemate once; I will never fail you again_. As he said this he fed her light shield with ancient power and she could see the vampire's hand burning as he touched the purity of love that surrounded her, fed by all three of her anchors. When she looked up, Gabriel was looking down at her and Annaberry and the look in his eyes alone gave her instructions. She ran off with her courage already greatly diminished as well as her confidence, but those were things to worry about later. Right now, her main concern was getting herself and the whimpering Annaberry to Francesca.

Within another five minutes of terror filled running she was inside Gabriel's property. The man she considered to be her father. But again, she consciously kicked herself and would think about it later. Right now she had to heal her new friend and the new acceptable guard that Dimitri had found that she obviously needed.

When she walked in the door she instantly followed the hidden path that lead to the downstairs chambers where Francesca and baby Tamara waited for her and Annaberry. She heard a clap of thunder and knew that Dimitri was near and was shielding her from his sheer anger, Gabriel was as well. Her fingers traced a pattern that Gabriel had installed in the wall, letting her into the chambers that protected them from vampires and the sun because she couldn't unravel Gabriel's guards. The stone door became transparent for the second that she walked through it with her new doggie friend and then reappeared, solid and real behind her.

"Are you alright?" said Francesca, bouncing the whimpering baby in her arms, already assessing the dog's injuries. "I'm alright now. Dimitri saved me again. I just don't know what to do about him. You didn't tell me he came back to Paris with us." Francesca shook her head, worried about what she really wanted to tell her about the agreement and what she had to know. She didn't want Skyler to get all upset and angry when there was no need. She decided to deal with it later and take care of the dog now.

"Don't worry about him; they'll be time for men later. Let's take care of this poor pup. What did you name her? Annaberry?" Skyler laughed a little and placed Annaberry down on the dirt cavern floor, careful of her long ears. The dog whimpered a little, frightened, but soothed by Skyler's trusting aura. Skyler stepped a little to the left and took Tamara from Francesca. The baby quieted her whimpering a little with Skyler there, as if she had been crying because she was in trouble.

"Her injuries aren't that bad. I can heal her; her anatomy is just different that's all. Watch Tamara." Francesca said and she was out of her body and into Annaberry's. Sitting tailor style on the floor with the baby on her lap, she watched Francesca heal her new puppy and prayed for the safe return of her father and lifemate. She had accepted the word, but she hadn't accepted its hold on her. She didn't believe it could apply to her, but if it really did, she also believed that Dimitri had gotten royally gypped.

Francesca had only been healing Annaberry for a few minutes when Gabriel and Dimitri walked through the shadow door. Skyler was aware of Gabriel feeding Francesca energy so that she could heal the dog of the vampire's touch. Why the vampire had had a dog not one of them really knew, but they just added it to the long list of the vampire's lately strange behaviors and didn't further question it. Standing up with baby Tamara in her arms she looked at both of the men in her life and sighed with the pathetic need to reassure herself.

"He's gone?" Her simple words were enough to further lower her dignity, but if she didn't ask she knew that they wouldn't tell. Gabriel gave her an anxious nod and went to stand behind Francesca, praying silently that Dimitri would know what to say to his daughter. Dimitri came to stand beside her, limping because of the slight injury to his leg, better able to keep his raging emotions and pain in check than he was that first day two weeks ago now.

"He's very gone. Ash in the wind and another hole in my soul." She laughed a little bit at the sarcastic tone in his voice and looked up at his face. His mouth was a firm line forbidding him from laughing or smiling which she heard in his mental voice so often. His eyes were still that amazing blue and his hair was still darker than night itself. He was just as beautiful as a man could be. And she had done nothing to deserve him. She realized what she had to do to make him happy even if it didn't make her happy. She kissed Tamara on the top of the head and sat down with her on the floor. Dimitri followed suit, although he didn't think he should have.

Skyler broke most of her vows to herself and brushed her soul with his purposely. "My soul may be just as dark as yours, but maybe together, we won't drown in the darkness." Her face was upturned to his, determined and beautiful. He smiled at her, a smile that threatened to devour her, dark soul and all. He leaned down to kiss her on the forehead emanating pure love and gratitude as his lips touched her skin.

"Your soul is not dark. You may think so because of what you have been through, but because of that it has become light. I thank you for that touch, it means a lot to me. You are right in one thing. You keep telling me that you are not like other women. You're right. You're much better than they could ever be to me." Skyler's eyes watered at his words. Just his acceptance meant a lot to her. When had pleasing this man come to mean so much? He kept saving her, over and over again, but maybe that was what she needed. She was just so confused. She started to cry before she could stop herself, but Dimitri was already kissing away her tears, showing her his tender love, which came before his possession, anger and domineering. When Dimitri stopped kissing away the salty drops of liquid on her face she looked up to find Francesca leaning against Gabriel watching what she considered to be her tiny, happy family and Gabriel stoically not growling.

"Let's go upstairs, I believe Tamara's hungry." Said Francesca, smiling, highly tired. Gabriel leaned down at her remark to pick up the child from Skyler's arms. Amazingly she had been good the whole time, and now only giggled as Gabriel picked her up. Once the child had left Skyler's arms they were filled with a very pain-free Annaberry. The joy radiating from the dog was astounding as she hopped from licking Skyler's face to licking Dimitri's. Once he had enough of her doggie kisses he lifted her up and placed her in his lap, speaking to her firmly on his self-created Dimitri to animal pathway. The dog soon hopped off and Dimitri stood up. He then turned and grabbed his lifemate, his little miracle, by the hand and pulled her to her feet.

"I believe I owe you a game of twenty questions…whatever that is." Said Dimitri, his eyebrows well into his messy hair line. Skyler giggled and let go of his hand knowing that she would not be able to function once his wall of emotion fell. "You know what, I believe you do." Maybe this lifemate thing wasn't so horrible, even if he was old and confusing…and pretty. Ok, absolutely gorgeous, but still.

A/N: Hi everyone!! I love all those of you who have stayed faithful to me throughout this long abuse of chapter waiting….sighs especially Gabriels-girl5035 who yet again sent me more than one angry devotion letter that I much appreciate. Now I know this chapter isn't up to my normal standards, but it was done in-between midterms and I don't have much intelligence left over. However I am giving you a Valentines Day present, although I do ask one little thing of all of you. On February 14th, I ask that you wear all black as it is a day of national stupidity and bad judgment and if you promise you may have a highly fluffy twenty questions chapter, but only if you promise!!! Much Love,

Lil' Lady


	6. 20 Questions and Some New Feelings

Ch6

Everyone started to walk upstairs together, with little Annaberry at Skyler's heels, a newly devoted puppy. As everyone melded together into the living room, Skyler noticed that Dimitri had held back behind them, almost like her security guard. A security guard was the last thing she wanted from someone who was trying to show her that he deserved her trust. Something that she didn't even believe she still had.

_You do. I know you do. You will trust me enough one day to fully accept my claim to you and then we will go from there. But I know that to trust me, you wanted to and think you need to learn about me, since you refuse to search my mind. I believe you said something about today's teenage idea of courting?_

Skyler giggled, something she almost never did unless she was with a child. _It's not courting_ she mentally replied, noticing the looks she had received from Francesca and Gabriel, _It's called dating. It's the time that two people take to fall in love, or in your case sex. Something I will assure you, Hercules, you will not be getting anytime soon. _

Dimitri rolled his eyes in response and could not control the unexpected warmth he felt in the pit of his stomach as his heart turned over all because of Skyler. She was so beautiful and she had so strong of a spirit. She claimed that she barely had the courage to let him anywhere near her, but yet just to make him feel better she had brushed her soul with his. She was setting up her own mental barriers to him and he wanted to take them down one by one.

.

_Look at them Gabriel, aren't they cute? _At that statement, Gabriel looked up at his lifemate. Decidedly he replied, _No._

_Oh, come on Gabriel, don't be such a stick in the mud. Look at her; she's finally happy. Much as we tried, she could never really be a child again. She needed someone who needed just as much help as she did. Skyler said they were going to play a game of twenty questions. Don't they remind you of an old courting couple? Like from the Victorian era? _

_No, they do not. Those old pants were atrociously uncomfortable anyway, I lived through them. _

Francesca looked up at him after his short reply. She was happy for Skyler; Dimitri would be the big step to her future. Once she saw herself through his eyes, she might accept herself for who she was and take down the walls of her past with him. However as she touched Gabriel's mind, as she constantly did, she saw the stark jealousy and possession he felt. He was loosing the girl he considered his daughter before he should have had too. He wanted to keep her in the highest tower, like so many medieval fathers had done. She laughed at that.

_You can't keep her in a tower, she's not Sleeping Beauty. You wanted to help her. This is helping her. Come upstairs with me, I have to feed Tamara and I think they want to be left alone._

When Gabriel opened his mouth to protest leaving him alone with her, Francesca took the hand that wasn't holding the baby and placed it across his sinful mouth. _Skyler isn't ready for any of that yet. They just want to find out about each other, leave them be. She's confused. Let him help her sort it out. Everyone keeps dragging them away from one another, but they have to be together at one point. Dimitri knows and understands his boundaries, you laid them out in front of him remember?_

Silently Gabriel nodded, a beaten Carpathian male. He walked up the stairs first with Francesca following behind him. When Skyler turned toward the stairs to see where they was going she opened her mouth to protest, then closed her mouth as Francesca waved to her and said _Don't be afraid of him. He loves you and love is something you deserve. We love you. We'll brush your mind occasionally to make sure you're all right. We would never leave you alone. Promise._

And then she left. Here it was, Skyler's ultimate test. Left alone with a man she barely knew, but was destined to be with for eternity. Why was it forever her fate for men to own her? She wanted a partnership like Gabriel and Francesca's or Lucian and Jaxon's. She wouldn't be able to stand her life if he thought she was just another thing to claim. Maybe she was, it was what she had been told all her life.

Dimitri sighed and went to his knees in front of her and her seat on the couch. "I say claim because it is how I was raised to think. Carpathians say claim because you are the light to our darkness, you are my savior. Claim is my way of saying to others that you are my savior, my right to protect, not to hurt. My first concern is to your happiness. Please, I know that you sometimes think like that, but I see you as beautiful and you should not see yourself as anything less than amazing. I Love you and, eventually, you will love me. There is no other option for us."

His eyes looked almost glassy as he stared up at her. She wanted to believe that haunted gaze, wanted to believe he was right and that was just that, but it wasn't. Her mind almost rejected his touch, his advance on her because he could take her away from what she loved. Once she was away from them, who knows what he could do to her. Not again. She would not suffer that. Dimitri growled a little.

"Is that what you think I want? To humiliate you? I am utterly ashamed of myself for not being there and knowing where you were to have saved you from those human monsters. What could possess you to think that I would be one of them?"

At that note of hurt in his voice, Skyler couldn't look into his eyes. Her inabilities were always painful to others, was she destined to always hurt those that she had loved? Or were they destined to always hurt her? She felt those smooth hands gently brush her chin and the slight tug, pulling but not forcing, her too look at him; reminding her that every simple thing was her choice. She chose those beautiful eyes and the hurt she was determined to now erase. Maybe she didn't know if he could be trusted, but he deserved a chance. It was what she had wanted, had told him she wanted to give him from the start. Maybe they could play that game of 20 questions, if he still wanted to. Dimitri smiled at her thoughts and stood up, holding her glance with his. "I still want to play that game of yours, since you don't want to search my memory." Skyler shook her head, "It's too impersonal. Not very cool, you know?" He shrugged and sat down on the couch next to her, smiling as Annaberry hopped into her lap and she kissed the happy dog on the nose. It felt so good to smile, now that the world wasn't stark and bleak, but filled with a beautiful young girl named Skyler.

"You ask your question first. We get 20 each, correct?" Skyler nodded, scratching Annaberry behind the ears. "Yep, twenty each. My first question, hmmm…have you ever been with a girl before?" Dimitri's face went carefully blank as he said no and looked straight into her eyes. "I've never been with a girl before because I've always been looking for you. Why did I need another girl when the right one was waiting for me to find her? I couldn't feel lust or wanting or see in color for that matter. Why would I want anyone who wasn't you? It would be a betrayal of something that hadn't had a chance to exist and it would be like begging the darkness to take my soul, not that most of it isn't gone already." Skyler felt humbled by his response and was grateful, in a jealous, possessive, bitchy sort of way. She was beginning to see that he saw everything in a serious, straightforward manner and it was time that he got a little silly.

"Is it my turn?" Skyler nodded and Dimitri made a contemplative face. Being this close to him, she felt his emotions of possessiveness, defensiveness, lust, disbelief, and love, however faintly the last one was. "Did you hear me?" Dimitri's deep voice broke through her thoughts and she turned instantly to face him, her expression like a berated child. "No, I didn't. I'm sorry." It was at that point Dimitri knew the carefree happy girl was gone and she was going to act like a scared wolf pup.

"Shh…I didn't say anything for you to have heard. I was just joking with you because your eyes seemed so far away. Never apologize to me. You have no need to apologize to me, you can't do anything wrong." He had not come this far to have her run away from him. He moved his hand to brush the strands of red and black hair that had fallen into her face. She showed no signs of stopping him and her deepest thoughts showed that she wanted him to touch her again so he followed what her thoughts wanted him to do and he pushed the hair from falling into her eyes and trailed his warm fingers down her face. Her expression softened and she apologized again for apologizing. He sighed in exasperation and busied himself with how beautiful it felt to trail his fingers down her neck and continue the trail down her arm over all her scars and into her hand, slowly intertwining his left with her right and watching her watch him. Letting her feel how beautiful he knew she was and how it wasn't all that bad to touch him.

"Do you know what you want to ask me?" Skyler asked, more than slightly distracted by the idea that someone's hand was holding hers and it wasn't overwhelming her senses. Dimitri's face broke into a smile for her and he answered, "Yes, I do. My question happens to be if you are familiar with the American creation of Disney?" Skyler smiled, knowing he had yet again picked a moment from her mind, and said in reply, "No, Tarzan. I, Cinderella, have no idea where Nemo is or what Disney can possibly be."

Dimitri's face crinkled into laughter, as he had not been expecting that answer. He had asked her that question because he thought that she would be able to identify with something that had the happy ending that she wanted while being sickeningly cute at the same time. He had never felt any less serious and any happier. His leg was still bothering him, but he could deal with anything if he could hear her laugh, hear her acceptance of him. He was trying so hard to be kind and gentle, even though all he really wanted to do was make crazy love to her outside in the rain and then lock her up in a castle somewhere far far away. He knew she was trying to be strong and brave for him, but no matter how hard she tried, she could never keep her fear from her lifemate.

"What's your fondest childhood memory?"

Her voice brought him out of his thoughtful meditation and the question startled him because he found that he actually didn't know. She stared at him with her big, beautiful eyes, holding on to his hand, practicing everything that Francesca had taught her. A part of her felt terribly afraid of him. She felt his demon close to the surface, having just fought a newly turned vampire and not having claimed her. That alone was taking a huge toll on his being, but she couldn't handle it. No one was going to own her ever again. It just wasn't going to happen. But she also knew that he wasn't just going to roll over and become her little wolf pup. She was sure of nothing anymore, not her bravery, not her fear, not her trust, not anything. She was only sure of her faith in her parents, the two people who loved her most of all.

Dimitri read her thoughts and wanted to respond, I love you most of all too. He wanted to tell her that she was the most important thing in the world to a lot of people, but he kept silent, knowing that she would hate the invasion of her privacy. Instead he answered her question.

"My most favored childhood memory is most likely learning to shape-shift into a wolf. I long had a wolf that I called friend and brother, named Sharpfang. When my father taught me how to hold on to his shape it stole my breath. I'll never forget that moment, running freely beside a wolf that trusted me and the only male to love me because he loved nothing else."

Skyler felt in that moment what she knew Raven and Aunt Jaxx and all of the other female lifemates were talking about. When she saw that perfectly formed blood-red tear slide down that sharply angled face, she could do nothing but feel all of his sorrow and want to make it more of her own. Her hand locked on to his so tightly both were shaking, neither wanting to ever let go. A few weeks ago Skyler had walked up to the Carpathian prince and said that she wanted no lifemate, just simply wanted to be a daughter to Gabriel and Francesca. Now with the man claiming to be the other half of her soul sitting next to her, crying for his loving and lost father, a sorrow that he had never felt before, all she wanted to do was feel that overwhelming sensation of sadness that she always avoided, just so he wouldn't have to.

His father had been the first known Carpathian male to survive the loss of his lifemate. She had died fighting a vampire by his side to protect her child and Dimitri knew his father had stayed alive not because of him, but her. His last promise to her was to keep him safe and raise him until he was a two centuries old and by his honor, that he had done. He shared his thoughts about his father with Skyler, allowing her to read his emotions freely, wanting her to know why he did not enjoy the company of other males in general, not only the ones surrounding her. His father could not be trusted around the males with lifemates so he had not been raised around the other children. He had been raised in Russia for the first two hundred years of his life, his father being honored by the Carpathian race in all of its original majesty. In his two hundred and first year of life, he was brought back to the Carpathian Mountains placed in the keeping of the Savage family and his father met the dawn, more than eager to see his mother again. His father was the man he had always struggled to be, going above and beyond the call of duty to his prince and his family. Dimitri wanted to be that man for Skyler. Not the kind of man she had to be scared of, even though she knew and he knew that the time for that was running out and he would have to leave again until she was ready.

He turned to look at her face and what he saw broke his heart. There were blood red tracks falling down her beautiful face for him. There was sorrow in her heart for him. She felt pain for him. This hadn't been what he wanted at all. He had given her a piece of himself and all she felt was sorrow for him. He closed his eyes and mentally beat himself up for causing her more pain. He had beat his dominant side into the ground for her so that she would not feel scared or threatened. Now she felt sorry for him.

Yes, I do feel sorry for you, but that is not all I feel. The sorrow you feel is your own, mirrored through me. Look deeper at my emotions, what I found there surprised me, maybe it will surprise you.

Skyler had purposely used their private mental path to speak to him. She wanted him to hear and feel what she was feeling and she knew that speaking on that path was the one way to get him to listen. She felt him merge with her a tiny bit; different from the full force merging Gabriel and Francesca did when they merged with her. It felt more intimate, more special really when he touched her mind and she still wasn't sure weather she liked it. She sure as hell knew that she didn't like the pooling heat she felt in her belly and the tingling in her hands and face when he looked at her. The sensations were all there as she felt him acknowledge what she thought of him. He was a strong man with a big, loving heart. He didn't have to do everything that he had done for her tonight, but he had anyway. He thought he could feel nothing, but she had seen him cry and feel for a man he had barley known, but honored like a god all of his solitary life. She felt the hole in his soul and wanted to fill it with the gap in her own. She felt honored to be his lifemate, but she knew she was not ready for that responsibility. She felt terrible for her own fierce judgments of him and her own inadequacies.

He could feel the beginning of love and he knew that if he could just keep his senses down and his darkness from spreading, they could be together. But as he thought for a moment on that, he realized that that was exactly what he wouldn't do. He couldn't keep how close he was from her. She needed to know what he was. He was a creature of darkness. He was capable of tenderness now that she had given him his emotions back, but he it wouldn't be long before he returned to his true nature and she learned that loving him meant loving all of him. They would be together all right. He needed their joining to survive.

The sun was almost gracing the sky and Dimitri needed to leave. He needed to be in the ground soon, to heal himself soon. Full strength would be needed now that he and Gabriel had killed the pawn vampire. It would not be long before they all attacked his savior and nothing would survive touching her, let alone attacking her.

He slowly, painstakingly slid his hand out of hers. Both hands then slid to her face and cupped either cheek into his curved palms. Her eyes closed and she enjoyed the delicious feeling of having tears kissed off her face. He made sure no trace of red was left on her face before he gently mingled her lips with his own. It was a small, gentle kiss, not meant to be anything else than a promise. It killed him to pull apart, but if he kept kissing her he knew he would never win against his demon and he would take utter and full possession of her. Her face remained between the safety of his hands and her eyes slowly fluttered open.

He pressed a kiss into the center of her forehead and as he did so, he dissolved into mist. _Goodnight, lyubof maya. _Was heard in her mind and with Annaberry in her arms, she felt safe and strangely complete. She felt shadow arms around her own and in their safety, she fell asleep.

A/N: Allo Everyboy!! Number One, Ignore the Chapter #'s on them. I really just don't know what i did with that... Number Two. I DEEPLY APOLOIGIZE AND LOVE ALL OF YOU!! Thank you whoever is reading this for not giving up on me. I appriciate it and please tell me everything you like and dislike about this chapter. I really thank you for your critizism and your love of my take on a brilliant woman's ideas. I have been so busy with everything that this took a second wheel. It now owns first and every night after i come home from work i promise to try to work very hard on Skyler and Dimitri's story.

P.S There is a new dark title on Christine's website...How many hold on to hope and how many think its one of the two remaining De la Cruz brothers?


	7. Author's Note Please Read First!

Hello my wonderful readers! I am so terribly sorry to disappoint you. I really am, it's heartbreaking for me to hurt you guys in any way. But I have to permanently discontinue my little Carpathian lovers. I've been away from this site for a long time, working on my own work, living my life. And now that I'm back I have some cleaning up to do, some talent to display. And while I'd like to keep writing this, I truly believe there is only going forward. And going forward means leaving them to their own devices or maybe writing a new story for them. Thank you kindly if you have read this story and were hoping this authors note was a new, long awaited chapter (God, I know how that feels) and you have been loyal this long. If you add me to your author's list I promise you some new stories I won't abandon. Not Carpathian, at least not yet, but something nonetheless. If you clicked on this story to read and listened to the summary directions and read this first, I hope you do read what's here of it. I'm very proud of this story, it's been a stop in my writer's life, so to speak and I hope you enjoy what I have. If you just finished it, I hope you've enjoyed it and will add me to your author's list for the future.

Thank you for your time, support, and love

Lil'Lady

Lady Salmalin-Holmes-Darcy 3


End file.
